Flexible metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are capable of changing their crystal structure as a function of external stimuli such as pressure, temperature, and type of adsorbed guest species. DUT-49 is the first MOF exhibiting structural transitions accompanied by the counterintuitive phenomenon of negative gas adsorption (NGA). Here, we present high pressure in situ ¹²⁹Xe NMR spectroscopic studies of a novel isoreticular MOF family based on DUT-49. These po-rous materials differ only in the length of their organic linkers causing changes in pore size and elasticity. The series encompasses both, purely microporous materials as well as materials with both, micropores and small mesopores. The chemical shift of adsorbed xenon depends on xenon-wall interactions and thus, on the pore size of the material. The xenon adsorption behavior of the different MOFs can be observed over the whole range of relative pressure. Chemical shift adsorption/desorption isotherms closely resembling the conventional, uptake-measurement based isotherms were obtained at 237 K where all materials are rigid. The comparable chemical environment for adsorbed xenon in these isoreticular MOFs allows establishing a correlation between the chemical shift at a relative pressure of p/p₀ = 1.0 and the mean pore diameter. Furthermore, the xenon adsorption behavior of the MOFs is studied also at 200 K. Here, struc-tural flexibility is found for DUT 50, a material with an even longer linker than the previously known DUT-49. Its structural transitions are monitored by ¹²⁹Xe NMR spectroscopy. This compound is the second known MOF showing the phenomenon of negative gas adsorption. Further increase in the linker length results in DUT-151, a material with interpenetrated network topology. In situ ¹²⁹Xe NMR spectroscopy proves that this material exhibits another type of flexibility compared to DUT-49 and DUT-50. Further surprising observations are made for DUT-46. Volumetric xenon adsorption measurements show that this non-flexible microporous material does not exhibit any hysteresis. In contrast, in situ ¹²⁹Xe NMR spectroscopically detected xenon chemical shift isotherms exhibit a hysteresis even after longer equilibration times than in the volumetric experiments. This indicates kinetically hindered re-distribution processes and long-lived metastable states of adsorbed xenon within the MOF persisting at the time scale of hours or longer.

Zr and Hf based MOFs with enhanced pore accessibility for large molecules and good hydrothermal stability were obtained using a bent dithienothiophene dicarboxylate and Zr4+ or Hf4+ source. A modulator (benzoic acid) facilitates formation of an eight-connecting cluster leading to a new framework which adopts reo topology. / Dieser Beitrag ist mit Zustimmung des Rechteinhabers aufgrund einer (DFG-geförderten) Allianz- bzw. Nationallizenz frei zugänglich.

Die Entwicklung und Synthese im Bereich neuartiger poröser Systeme, im speziellen Metallorganische Gerüstverbindungen (engl.: Metall-organic Frameworks; MOFs), wird weltweit in vielen Forschergruppen intensiv bearbeitet. Aufgrund der Möglichkeit, dass sich die Materialeigenschaften individuell designen lassen und letztendlich spezifische Eigenschaften für eine ausgewählte Anwendung bereitgestellt werden können, stellen MOFs für einen weiten Forscherkreis eine interessante Materialienklasse dar. Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit stand die Synthese von neuartigen MOFs im Vordergrund, welche geeignete Eigenschaften für eine effiziente Speicherung von Gasen im Nieder- als auch im Hochdruckbereich besitzen. Dabei wurde zum einen Augenmerk auf die Synthese mesoporöser MOF-Systeme gelegt. Hier lag die größte Herausforderung darin, die erhaltenen hochporösen Materialien in einer stabilen gastfreien Form zu erhalten. Ein weiterer Schwerpunkt war die Untersuchung von flexiblen MOF-Verbindungen und deren Eigenschaften in Abhängigkeit der Synthesebedingungen und der adsorbierten Spezies. Auf Basis der Copolymerisation verschiedener multifunktioneller Linkermoleküle konnten zwei mesoporöse Verbindungen und dazugehörige Isomorphe synthetisiert werden (DUT-6, DUT-23; DUT = Dresden University of Technology). Mit diesen Verbindungen konnte über die Kombination von unterschiedlich funktionellen Linkermolekülen eine erhöhte Netzwerkstabilität und damit einhergehend erhöhte Porosität erhalten werden. Sämtliche Verbindungen zeigen ausgezeichnetes adsorp-tives Verhalten und können aufgrund ihrer verschiedenen Eigenschaften in Bereichen der Hochdruckadsorption, Katalyse oder enantioselektiven Trennung Einsatz finden. Im zweiten Teil der Arbeit wurde das flexible Verhalten der „pillar-layer“ Verbindungen DUT-8(M) (M = Ni, Co, Zn, Cu) näher untersucht. Diese isomorphe Reihe zeichnet sich durch ihre hohe Netzwerkflexibilität in Abhängigkeit der integrierten Gastmoleküle sowie dem vorliegendem Metall-Dimer aus. DUT-8(M) zeigt unterschiedliche Adsorptionseigenschaften und unterschiedliches Stabilitäts- sowie Flexibilitätsverhalten.

Les dioxines/furanes sont des polluants organiques persistants générés principalement par l’activité anthropique et spécifiquement par l’industrie lors des procédés de combustion mettant en jeux des matières organochlorées. Etant donné leur transport à large échelle dans l'environnement et leur impact sur la santé de l’homme, il est nécessaire de contrôler en temps réel, les traces de dioxines à l'émission des sources fixes. Un tel contrôle est plus particulièrement requis lors de l’incinération de déchets hétérogènes non préalablement triés. Deux types de matériaux microporeux ont été sélectionnés pour l'adsorption des dioxines au vu de leurs propriétés physico-chimiques. Il s’agit des zéolithes et les Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOF). Deux types de test d’adsorption ont été conduits, d’une part, en laboratoire en phase liquide avec la dioxine dans de l’isooctane comme solvant, et d’autre part, en phase gazeuse lors des campagnes de prélèvement sur un site d'incinération de déchets avec une matrice réelle très complexe. L'adsorption en phase liquide nous a permis de conclure sur l’efficacité des matériaux étudiés pour l’adsorption de trois congénères de dioxine de différentes tailles. Elle a ensuite été caractérisée par des techniques d'analyses spécifiques afin de remonter aux mécanismes d'adsorption. L’efficacité d’adsorption a été testée en phase gaz sur un site d'incinération de déchets ménagers avec les mêmes matériaux testés en phase liquide au laboratoire. Finalement, en se basant sur les résultats d'adsorption en phases liquide et gaz, deux pistes ont été proposées pour la conception d’un dispositif de mesure de dioxines en ligne commercialisable. / Dioxins and furans are persistent organic pollutants generated mainly by human activity and industry during combustion processes using organochlorine substances. Due to their long-range air transport and impact on human health, it is necessary to have on-line dioxin emission monitoring at stationary source. Such a control is tipically required for incineration of no pre-sorted heterogeneous wastes.Two types of microporous materials have been selected for dioxin adsorption due to their physicochemical properties: zeolites and Metal -Organic Frameworks (MOF). Two types of adsorption tests have been established. On the one hand, dioxin adsorption tests in liquid phase in laboratory with isooctane as solvent, and on the other hand, dioxin adsorption tests in dynamic gas phase during sampling campaigns on waste incineration site with a very complex matrix.Liquid phase adsorption allowed us to conclude on the effectiveness of materials studied for dioxin adsorption. Adsorption has been after characterized by specific analysis techniques to trace adsorption mechanisms. Adsorption efficiencies were tested in gas phase on a household waste incinerator with the same materials tested in liquid phase in laboratory. Finally, taking into account liquid and gas phase results, two solutions have been proposed for a future commercialized device for on-line dioxin monitoring.

In recent years, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been identified as promising adsorbents in a number of industrially relevant, yet challenging, separations, including the removal of propane from propane/propylene mixtures and the separation of mixtures of xylene isomers. The highly tuneable nature of MOFs - wherein structures may be constructed from a variety of diverse building blocks – has resulted in the publication of a staggering number of frameworks incorporating a wide range of network topologies, pore shapes and pore diameters. As a result, there are a huge number of candidate adsorbents to consider for a given separation. Molecular simulation techniques allow the identification of those structural features and characteristics of a MOF which exert the greatest influence on the adsorption and separation of the compounds of interest, providing insights which can both guide the selection and accelerate the development of adsorbents for a specific application. The separation of propane/propylene mixtures via adsorption has typically focused on selective adsorption of the olefin, propylene, via specific olefin-adsorbent interactions. These propylene-selective MOFs result in processes which selectively remove the most abundant species in the process stream and are typically characterised by high heats of adsorption, resulting in large adsorption units and adsorbents which are difficult to regenerate. In this work, the capability of MOFs to selectively adsorb propane over propylene is explored, potentially allowing for the design of smaller and more energy-efficient adsorption units. By studying a range of different MOFs as well as carbon-based model pores, it was found that the low-pressure selectivity of the structure is determined by the strength of the electrostatic interaction between propylene and the framework, while the adsorptive preference at industrially-relevant pressures is dominated by the enhanced packing efficiency of propylene over propane. The confinement of C3 molecules, however, may be employed to negate this entropic advantage and guide the development of materials which selectively adsorb propane over propylene. It has recently been reported that the adsorptive preference of a MOF for one xylene isomer over another may be predicted based solely on the pore size distribution of the structure. In this work, the impact of pore size on selectivity was studied systematically in both one-dimensional model pore systems of varying geometries and analogous published MOF structures. The ability of the framework to discriminate between xylene molecules in these systems was found to be determined primarily by the different packing arrangements available to the different isomers – while small pores were found to favour the slimmest of the isomers, larger pores were found to favour the more compact ortho- isomer. Finally, the adsorption and diffusion of xylene isomers in a more complex MOF, UiO-66(Zr), was studied in depth. Simulations were able to correctly predict the previously-reported preference of the MOF for ortho-xylene (oX). The smaller volume of the oX molecule compared to the other isomers was found to be responsible both for an enhanced entropic contribution and higher guest-host interaction energies. The importance of framework flexibility in the diffusion of xylene isomers in UiO-66(Zr) was also explored, with distortion of the structure in response to interaction with adsorbed molecules found to be essential in allowing xylenes to diffuse through the pore space.

The synthesis of a scandium aluminium methylphosphonate ScAl₃(CH₃PO₃)₆ isostructural to the aluminium methylphosphonate AlMePO-α and with permanent microporosity is reported here for the first time. Structural characterisation of three lanthanide bisphosphonate structures (I,II,III) with the light lanthanides and N,N'-piperazine bis-(methylenephosphonic acid) and its 2-methyl and 2,5-dimethyl derivatives is described. The framework of structure type I shows considerable flexibility upon dehydration with a symmetry change from C2/c, a = 23.5864(2) Å, b = 12.1186(2) Å, c = 5.6613(2) Å, β = 93.040(2)˚) in the hydrated state to P2₁/n, a = 21.8361(12) Å, b = 9.3519(4) Å, c = 5.5629(3) Å, β = 96.560(4)˚ after dehydration. This cell volume reduces by 27% on dehydration and is accompanied by a change in the conformation of the piperazine ring from chair to boat configuration. The structures of type I (hydrated and dehydrated) were refined against synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction data. Despite the reversible hydration and flexibility, the structures possess no permanent porosity. Investigation of the solvothermal chemistry of scandium carboxylates identified routes to 7 framework structures 5 of which were previously unreported in the scandium system. Lower temperature solvothermal reactions using terephthalic acid (80 - 140°C using dimethylformamide and diethylformamide) yielded two scandium terephthalates, MIL-88B(Sc) and MIL-101(Sc), identified by laboratory X-ray powder diffraction. Whereas higher temperature (160 – 220°C), reactions gave MIL-53(Sc) and Sc₂BDC₃. Further study with the tri- and tetra-carboxylate linkers, trimesic acid, 3,3',5,5'-azobenzenetetracarboxylic acid and pyromellitic acid yielded MIL-100(Sc), Sc-ABTC and Sc₄PMA₃ respectively. Structural identification of MIL-100(Sc) and Sc-ABTC was performed by means of X-ray powder diffraction analysis and of Sc₄PMA₃ by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The structure of a small pore scandium terephthalate Sc₂BDC₃ was investigated as a function of temperature and of functionalization. In situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction data, collected on a Sc₂BDC₃ in vacuo, enabled a phase change from orthorhombic Fddd to monoclinic C2/c and the associated structural effects to be observed in detail. The orthorhombic structure displayed a negative thermal expansivity of 2.4 × 10⁻⁵ K⁻¹ over the temperature range 225 – 523 K which Rietveld analysis showed to be derived from carboxylate group rotation. Motion within the framework was studied by ²H wide-line and MAS NMR on deuterated Sc₂BDC₃ indicating π flips can occur in the phenyl rings above 298 K. The effects of functionalization on the Sc₂BDC₃ framework were investigated by reactions using the 2-amino- and 2-nitroterephthalic acid and gave evidence for a strong structural effect resulting from inclusion of the functional groups. The structure of Sc₂BDC₃ and the functionalised derivatives were solved using Rietveld analysis on synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data. Sc₂(NH₂-BDC)₃ was solved using the orthorhombic Sc₂BDC₃ framework starting model and, over the temperature range studied, stayed orthorhombic Fddd. Sc₂(NO₂-BDC)₃, was shown to be monoclinic C2/c over the same temperature range, a result of the steric effects of the bulky –NO₂ group in a small pore framework. Partial ordering of the functional groups was observed in both Sc₂(NH₂-BDC)₃ and Sc₂(NO₂-BDC)₃. The strength of interaction for the Sc₂(NH₂-BDC)₃ with CO₂ was higher than that of the parent Sc₂BDC₃ due to the strong –NH₂•••CO₂ interaction. Despite the inclusion of a relatively large –NO₂ group along the walls of a channel ~4 Å in diameter the Sc₂(NO₂-BDC)₃ still showed permanent microporosity to CO₂ (2.6 mmol g⁻¹) suggesting that there must be some motion in the -NO₂ group to allow the CO₂ molecules to diffuse through the channels. The scandium analogue of the flexible terephthalate MIL-53, a competitive phase in the synthesis of Sc₂BDC₃, was prepared and characterised by Rietveld analysis on synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data using a combination of literature structural models and models obtained from single crystal X-ray diffraction experiments. Experimental solid state ⁴⁵Sc, ¹³C and ¹H NMR data combined with NMR calculations on the structural models produced from diffraction analysis were used to identify the hydrated (MIL-53(Sc)-H₂O), calcined (MIL-53(Sc)-CAL) and high temperature (MIL-53(Sc)-HT) structures of MIL-53(Sc). Further to this the 2-nitroterephthalate derivative, MIL-53(Sc)-NO₂, was prepared and characterised using single crystal X-ray diffraction. The adsorptive properties of the parent terephthalate and the functionalised derivative were compared and in both cases showed a breathing behaviour, exemplified by steps in the adsorption isotherms. MIL-53(Sc)-CAL was found to possess a closed pore configuration in the dehydrated state, a previously unreported structural form for the MIL-53 series, and its presence can be observed in the low pressure region of the CO₂ adsorption isotherm as a non-porous plateau. The selectivity and separation properties of two MOFs, the nickel bisphosphonate, STA-12(Ni) and the scandium carboxylate, Sc₂BDC₃ were measured using breakthrough curves on mixtures of CH₄ and CO₂. The results showed both materials to be highly selective in the adsorption of CO₂ over CH₄. Column testing using a PLOT column of STA-12(Ni) and a packed column of Sc₂BDC₃ showed promising preliminary results with STA-12(Ni) displaying effective, baseline separation on low boiling point hydrocarbon mixtures (C1 – C4) while the smaller pore channels of Sc₂BDC₃ were effective in the size selective separation of higher boiling point branched and straight-chain hydrocarbons (C5 – C7).

Les structures organométalliques poreuses (Metal Organic Framework, MOF) sont une nouvelle classe de matériaux, composées d'ions métalliques ou de clusters liés à des ligands organiques ou des complexes organométalliques dans des réseaux cristallins 1D, 2D ou 3D. Au cours de cette thèse la possibilité de construire de nouveaux MOF a été illustrée par le développement de matériaux MOF à base d'imidazolium, précurseur important pour la synthèse de catalyseurs. En outre, ce travail démontre l'utilité de la modification post-synthèse des MOFs par chimie organométallique de surface à visée catalytique : i) un MOF connu, UiO-66, avec des pores relativement petits a été fonctionnalisé avec un groupement amino et ses capacités d'adsorption de gaz ont été étudiées. ii) la synthèse de MOF a structure poreuse, CPO-27, MOF a été optimisée et utilisée comme précurseur pour produire un catalyseur d'hydrodésulfuration après l'introduction d'espèces actives, via la chimie organométallique de surface, dont les performances catalytiques ont été évaluées.

The topological diversity of lithium-boron imidazolates LiB(imid)4 was studied by combining topological enumeration and ab initio DFT calculations. The structures based on zeolitic rho, gme and fau nets are shown to be stable and have high total hydrogen uptake (6.9–7.8 wt.%) comparable with that of MOF-177. / Dieser Beitrag ist mit Zustimmung des Rechteinhabers aufgrund einer (DFG-geförderten) Allianz- bzw. Nationallizenz frei zugänglich.

A supply of clean, carbon neutral and sustainable energy is the most scientific and technical challenge that humanity is facing in the 21st century. Though there is enough fossil fuels available for a few centuries, their use would increase the level of CO2 in the atmosphere. This would lead to global warming and may pose serious threats such as rising of sea level, change in hydrological cycle, etc. Hence there is a need for an alternative source of fuel that is clean and sustainable. Among the many resources considered as an alternative power source, hydrogen is considered one of the most promising candidates. To use hydrogen commercially, appropriate hydrogen storage system is required. Various options to store hydrogen for onboard use include gaseous form in high-pressure tanks, liquid form in cryogenic conditions, solid form in chemical or metal hydrides, or by physisorption of hydrogen on porous materials. One of the emerging porous materials are metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) which provide several advantages over zeolites and carbon materials because the MOFs can be designed to possess variable pore size, dimensions, and metrics. In general, MOFs adsorb hydrogen through weak interactions such as London dispersion and electrostatic potential which lead to low binding enthalpies in the range of 4 to 10 kJ/mol. As a result, cryogenic conditions are required to store sufficient amounts of hydrogen inside MOFs. Up to date several MOFs have been designed and tested for hydrogen storage at variable temperature and pressure levels. The overall results thus far suggest that the use of MOFs for hydrogen storage without chemical and electronic modifications such as doping with electropositive metals or incorporating low density elements such as boron in the MOFs backbone will not yield practical storage media. Such modifications are required to meet gravimetric and volumetric constraints. With these considerations in mind, we have selected a Cr-based MOF (MIL-101; Cr(F,OH)-(H2O)2O[(O2C)-C6H4-(CO2)]3•nH2O (n ≈ 25)) to investigate the impact of nickel inclusion inside the pores of MIL-101 on its performance in hydrogen storage. MIL-101 has a very high Langmuir surface area (5900 m2/g) and two types of mesoporous cavities (2.7 and 3.4 nm) and exhibits exceptional chemical and thermal stabilities. Without any modifications, MIL-101 can store hydrogen reversibly with adsorption enthalpy of 10 kJ/mol which is the highest ever reported among MOFs. At 298 K and 86 bar, MIL-101 can store only 0.36 wt% of hydrogen. Further improvement of hydrogen storage to 5.5 wt% at 40 bar was achieved only at low temperatures (77.3 K). As reported in the literature, hydrogen storage could be improved by doping metals such as Pt. Doping is known to improve hydrogen storage by spillover mechanism and Kubas interaction. Hence we proposed that doping MIL-101 with a relatively light metal possessing large electron density could improve hydrogen adsorption. Preferential Ni doping of the MIL-101’s large cavities which usually do not contribute to hydrogen uptake is believed to improve hydrogen uptake by increasing the potential surface in those cavities. We have used incipient wetness impregnation method to dope MIL-101 with Ni nanoparticles (NPs) and investigated their effect on hydrogen uptake at 77.3 K and 298 K, at 1 bar. In addition, the impact of metal doping on the surface area and pore size distribution of the parent MIL-101 was addressed. Metal content and NPs size was investigated by ICP and TEM, respectively. Furthermore, crystallinity of the resulting doped samples was confirmed by Powder X-ray Diffraction (PXRD) technique. The results of our studies on the successful doping with Ni NPs and their impact on hydrogen adsorption are discussed.

Masters in Public Administration - MPA / This research focuses on the challenges of tax administration in Somaliland Ministry of Finance (MOF). The study analyses existing challenges in the MOF-Tax Administration, causes of these challenges, the impact of these challenges on domestic revenue collection as well as the country’s economic growth and development. In order to obtain a desirable, comprehensive, and in-depth understanding of the research problem, the researcher applied a mixed method approach, thereby limiting the weaknesses of using the quantitative or qualitative research approach alone. The sample size consisted of 63 staff members. The research included 57 questionnaires for 57 employees and lower level managers as well as 6 interviews for top and middle-level managers in Somaliland Inland Revenue Department. The data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS), Ms. Excel, and conceptual analysis, where themes were developed and analyzed. The key findings of the research were that Somaliland tax administration faces immense challenges that can be broadly grouped into three categories: institutional challenges, attitudinal challenges as well as political and economic challenges. These challenges are mainly due to the absence of professional staff, the lack of taxpayers’ education, outdated tax laws, non-compliance behavior of taxpayers, rigidity of the tax system, and poor public trust amongst others. These challenges restrained tax revenue collection, public service provision, investments, and economic growth issues. Therefore, the recommendations, accordingly made in this thesis, include, amongst others, the need to establishing a professional training center for staff, automating tax procedure, implementing effective performance appraisal system, and the regular updating of tax policies to establish a transparent, accountable and equitable tax system in Somaliland.